Water and sanitation civil society organisation in Ghana, CONIWAS has called on the Ghanaian government to institute better measures to properly address all forms of illegal mining activities in the country.
According to the Coalition of NGOs in Water and Sanitation (CONIWAS), unregulated gold mining activities, known locally as ‘’galamsey’’ is still rampant close to water bodies.
CONIWAS observes that the continuous illegal ventures are polluting rivers and other water bodies making them unsafe for human use.
The coalition pointed that the activity poses a serious threat to sustainable water supply in the country.
Leadership of CONIWAS made the call in a statement issued and released to the media on the occasion of World Water Day event in the Ghanaian capital Accra.
The statement urged government and relevant agencies responsible for water and sanitation to engineer institutional reforms that truly protect water bodies.
They called for increased investments in the water sector to ensure sustainable access to safe drinking water for the populace.
CONIWAS described the theme for this year global event ‘Groundwater, making the invisible visible’ as appropriate and timely.
It said the theme highlights the importance of groundwater in water service delivery.
The organisation observed that in a period of climate variability and its impact on water resources, groundwater becomes one of the most dependent sources.
‘’Even though ground water may be hidden, it is still visible treasure which must be preserved and protected. We are aware that most of our rural communities depend on groundwater in the form of boreholes and wells are the main source water. Also, many urban and peri-urban settlements resort to the construction of boreholes as a source of water supply’’, CONIWAS declared.
CONIWAS commended the Water Resources Commission for its leadership in the global water day commemoration.
The NGOs further commended the commission for training organized stakeholders to deepen understanding of the state of groundwater.
They asked the government to increase support to the commission to enable it effectively carry out its mandates.
The Coalition also commended the Community Water and Sanitation Agency (CWSA) for the ongoing reforms in the rural water sub-sector.
They acknowledged that the reforms will improve Operation and Maintenance (O&M) and ensure well-structured water systems in the country.
CONIWAS called for adequate government support and increased financing to the water sector to meet the ever increasing demand for safe drinking water in rural and urban communities.
The World Water Day is observed annually to educate the public on importance of water sources to human lives.
The day is also used to create awareness on water crisis and call on society to take concrete actions in the preservation and conservation of water.
The Coalition of NGOs in Water and Sanitation (CONIWAS) is a civil society organization established in 2003. The Coalition works in partnership with relevant stakeholders to influence policies, promote access to safe drinking water.
